The Pizza Man Cometh
by theicemenace
Summary: Sam and Dean help Cas find his unicorn.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is my first real Supernatural Fic. Please be kind.

Many thanks to WhyteWytch for the Beta.

Namaste,

Sunny

 **Supernatural**

 **The Pizza Man Cometh**

 **Chapter 1**

In all his years as a hunter, Dean had never come up against a demon like this one. He fought with everything he had and more. And still it wasn't enough. Raising the knife over his head, he slashed downward intending to split his opponent open from neck to groin.

Apparently tired of toying with the mortal, the demon gave a flick of his wrist that sent Dean flying through the air to slam into the warehouse wall, the knife spinning away to land somewhere in the darkness. A twinge in his side told him he'd bruised a rib at the very least. Wet warmth flowed down the side of his head, but he wasn't given even a moment to wonder how bad it was. Other areas of his body screamed at him to stop as well. By morning, he'd be covered in bruises, cuts and a gash or two.

 _Just another day in paradise._

The sandy-haired vessel of a demon going by the name of Leon smirked as he walked in a circle around Dean. "On your feet, hunter."

Panting, Dean got his hands under his shoulders and pushed to his hands and knees. "What? Not gonna kick me while I'm down?"

"I'm surprised you would even ask." Crouching in front of Dean, Leon rested his forearms on his knees. "That would be cheating."

Head hanging down, the blood dripping from the cut on his head, making a pool on the worn paint of the filthy concrete floor. Some of that dirt now adhered to front of Dean's torn and bloody shirt, his jeans, hands, and face. He laughed scornfully as he pushed back until he was sitting on his heels. "Demons _always_ cheat. It's in their job description."

Leon poked a finger at Dean's chest. "And yet you still come after us expecting a fair fight."

He stood, forcing Dean to tilt his head back to keep eye contact. Dean's breathing slowed enough that he no longer felt the stitch in his side. Putting his right foot flat on the floor with his knee up, he pushed to his feet and used the heel of his left hand to wipe away the blood now running down his face. "Yeah. I'm stupid that way. You know, before we finish this, _Leon_ , tell me something."

Crossing his arms, Leon waited impatiently for Dean to continue. "Whatever. Just hurry it up. I got souls to steal, lives to ruin, people to kill."

"Fine." Groaning, Dean stumbled to the side, catching himself by grabbing the edge of the rotting workbench along the wall, feeling it start to give way. "Did you know that humans…"

Leon's bark of laughter stopped Dean in mid-sentence. "I know everything I need to about _your kind_. You're pathetic and feeble. Unworthy to associate with your betters."

Shrugging, the hunter scrunched up his face, bending at his waist and moaning in pain. "Not all demons think that way, or have you forgotten Meg?"

"Not at all. When I heard she died, I _laughed_ , hunter. I've know Meg for several millennia. She's no more dead than you are. Oh, wait. That's about to change. And when I see the last flicker of life drain from your body, I'm going to have a party. Music will play and I'll dance on your grave."

"Before you send out invitations and start acceptin' RSVPs, there's somethin' you should know about _my kind_."

Waving his hand to urge Dean to hurry, Leon sighed heavily, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling. That was what Dean had been waiting for. He dived into a shoulder roll, pulling another knife from under his shirt, brandishing it in his right fist. It had a curved, serrated-edged blade with ancient symbols etched into metal. What little light there was flared briefly as he put all his considerable strength into an upward strike.

Leon turned to the side at the last possible second, the sharp tip leaving a long scratch across his ribs. Created by the Kurds, it burned the flesh of Leon's vessel. The demon screamed in agony, grabbed Dean's outstretched arm, and twisted the wrist trying to force him to drop the knife, but Dean held on. Spinning him around into a headlock, Leon proceeded to choke the life out of the eldest Winchester brother.

Somehow, Dean broke free before he lost consciousness, the knife still in his right hand. Turning to face him, Dean again tried to stab Leon, man and demon swaying back and forth, vying for control.

Dean lost his grip on the knife and it clattered to the floor just as he heard footsteps running toward them, recognizing the voice as Sam's.

"Dean!"

From the corner of his eye, Dean saw Sam scoop up the knife, moving this way and that looking for an opportunity to shove it between Leon's ribs. "Do it, Sammy! Now!"

Dean swung Leon around, and Sam stepped into a hard thrust, the knife penetrating Leon's side up to the hilt. Sam leaned into it, shoving the knife deeper and giving it a twist. "Die, you black-eyed sonofa****!"

An unearthly scream erupted from Leon's mouth as he collapsed. Dean, unable to hold the other man's weight, fell backward with Leon on top. Leon bent his head back, black smoke issuing from his mouth that swirled and eddied up to the ceiling. Dean pushed the body off with a groan.

Extending a hand, Sam helped his brother stand. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks for the save, Sammy." Dean limped over to pick up his jacket and the .45 that had fallen out of its holster at Leon's first attack. "Guess what?"

"Not in the mood, Dean. Just _tell_ me."

Sam helped his brother outside to the Impala, opened the cooler and handed him a bottle of water. Dean took a long drink then poured the rest over his head. "Meg's still alive."

"That's not possible."

Groaning, Dean took off his plaid shirt and t-shirt to examine his wounds. "The 4-1-1 came from a demon."

Sam took the bottle of peroxide, poured some on gauze and started cleaning the cuts on Dean's face. "Demons lie."

"I _know_ that, Sammy. There was just something about the way he said it."

"So you believe him?"

Dean sat in the passenger seat of the Impala, hissing in pain as Sam examined a deep cut on his scalp. "Whether I believe him or not doesn't matter. If Cas finds out, he'll stop at nothing to find her."

His brother sighed. "And we'll help him, of course." He pressed gauze to the scalp wound and had Dean hold it. "They are the oddest pair, but it works for them, I guess."

"What works for whom?" Both men looked up at the sound of Castiel's voice coming out of the dark. Without being asked, the angel touched Dean in the middle of his forehead and his wounds were healed.

Clean clothes were tossed at Dean by Sam. "Thanks, Cas. That rib hurt like hell, and I'm not fond of Sammy's sewing technique, especially on my head."

"You're welcome, Dean." Cas's eyes glanced from Sam to Dean. "Who were you talking about when I arrived?"

Standing, Dean pulled the t-shirt over his head and shrugged into the red plaid flannel, leaving it open. "You gotta promise me you're not gonna go off half-cocked."

"Of course not. I plan on going off fully cocked."

Holding in their laughter, Sam exchanged a glance with Dean. "We killed a demon tonight by the name of Leon. He, uh, told us that Meg's still alive. And yes, we know demons lie."

Cas's spine straightened. He took a deep breath and let it out. "There's been talk on Angel Radio about certain demons being given a second chance."

"Yeah?" Going around to the driver's side, Dean got behind the wheel while Sam took shotgun and Cas got in the back. Dean started the engine, and pulled onto the road. "How's that work?"

"Select demons who have rebelled against Crowley and his minions are being considered for a sort of reawakening."

Turning in his seat, Sam frowned at Cas. "Reawakening? That sounds like you're turning them into angels."

In the rear view mirror, Dean saw Cas nod. "That's it exactly, though they will have to… I believe the term is 'bring something to the table'."

Dean's eyebrows drew together as he signaled for a turn and pulled into a Biggerson's. He shut the engine off and got out. "So the demons who narc on Crowley's ass will get a brand spankin' new never been worn set of wings and a halo?"

"There's more to it than that, but essentially, yes."

"How can we get that for Meg? After all she did for us she deserves the white robes and a trip to the penthouse instead of the dungeon."

Cas followed Dean into the restaurant with Sam bringing up the rear. "I agree. But it's not up to me, though I can make recommendations to the committee."

They found a table, and Sam handed out menus. "Does the committee accept statements from character witnesses?"

"Yeah. She saved all our asses a bunch of times. Sammy and I'll be happy to talk Meg up to your cronies in a big way."

"Cronies?" Dean almost laughed at the looked of confusion on Cas's face. "The committee is more of a small ruling body that regulates a particular activity than friends. With our numbers depleted due to the civil war, we must replenish the ranks." The server took their orders and walked away, coming back within moments with coffee for all three.

"And the only way to do that is un-demonize the less demon-like of the demons?"

Cas sniffed his coffee before taking a sip. He made a face and Dean pushed the sugar and cream to his side of the table. The angel added small amounts of both, took another sip and found it acceptable. "All of the earthbound angels are being asked to make at least one referral. Mortals call it repurposing. Rather than leaving their souls in purgatory, each demon being considered will go through rigorous ethical and moral testing. Upon acceptance, they will be sent to Earth to locate an appropriate vessel. The one condition is that the vessel must be empty when they take possession."

Talking around the food in his mouth, Dean nodded. "So we find Meg, give her some unimpeachable references, tutor her in morals and ethics, and when she's in, we help her find a vessel."

"The only drawback is that she will need a temporary vessel to make communicating with her easier."

Dean had just taken another bite of his bacon cheeseburger when he saw Sam and Cas staring at him. "What?"

Sam stopped fighting a grin and let it take over his face. "Cas wants _you_ to host Meg while he pleads his case."

~~O~~

Dean's mouth dropped open for a few seconds then snapped shut. "But I'm a _guy_. Wouldn't she be more comfortable in, you know, a chick's body than a dude's?"

To Cas, Dean's reaction was way more than his simple request warranted. Using a fork to poke at his salad the angel came as close to feeling amusement as he ever did. "Perhaps. However, once her soul is cleansed, she will only have a short time to find a permanent vessel. If one is not immediately available, and you are willing to be her host, it would extend that time by many months. While she is sharing your body, you would have the ability to take control at any time."

The elder Winchester brother's jaw dropped open in an expression of horror, the half-chewed bite of food falling into his lap. He used a napkin to remove it. "Months?"

"Dean…" Sam started, cut off by his brother.

" _No_ , Sammy. I'm not letting a former demon move in even for a freakin' _day_ without some assurances. Especially not her."

Picking up his sandwich, Cas peered between the slices of bread. "What kind of assurances?"

Grabbing a fry, Dean used it to emphasize each condition. "No high heels, no dresses, no cozying up to some hottie in the bar, no playing with the goods, and the big one, no mattress dancin' with some jerkwad who thinks she's a guy who's into, you know, guys."

Cas considered Dean's conditions. "Those are fair requests."

"Good." Dean poured catsup on his plate, dipped the fry and ate it.

Sam, who, in Cas's opinion, had manners slightly more refined than his older sibling, wiped his mouth and laid the napkin aside. "How do we go about finding Meg? Is she a black cloud floating in space looking for a home?"

"Since our last encounter, I've become tuned to Meg's particular frequency. Until you told me she was alive, I'd thought hearing her voice in my head was a figment of my imagination. That I was hearing her because…"

"Because she's your unicorn?"

Cas chewed and swallowed before responding. "If I interpret that comment correctly, yes. I've also seen the movie _It's a Wonderful Life_ , and now understand the Clarence reference. The writers were totally incorrect about how angels get their wings. It takes much more than the ringing of a bell."

"It's _fiction_ , Cas," Sam told him. "How does this angel-to-demon radio work?"

"I must open my mind, allow it to soar through the atmosphere. Only then will I be able to locate Meg."

Dean drank the last of his coffee, wiped his mouth and signaled for the server. "I'll take a slice of pie for dessert, and more coffee."

The woman's face was set in a permanent been-there-done-that-bored-with-life-in-general expression. "We have cherry, coconut cream and pumpkin."

"Pumpkin. With _lots_ of whipped cream." When the woman was gone, Dean again addressed Cas. "Meditation then. You can do it in our motel room, as long as you don't have to be naked or anything."

"I do not. I will need candles and music to facilitate the meditation." He looked down at his rumpled overcoat and wrinkled suit, the same one he'd been wearing for most of his time on Earth. "I would also like to purchase clothing that Meg would find more appealing."

Crossing his arms, Sam leaned back in his chair while the server placed a slice of pie in front of Dean, filled all their cups, and walked away. "Let's get a good night's sleep and go shopping in the morning. There's a Discount Mart a few blocks from the motel."

The server came back with the check, setting it near Dean's elbow. He read it and passed it to Sam. "What're you gonna do all night, Cas?"

Pleased that he could share how he planned on changing his way of life, Cas again smiled. "I've been thinking about how to blend in, to be more human. Today, I've eaten food though it's unnecessary. Tonight, I will sleep in a bed."

 **TBC**

 _It's a Wonderful Life_ is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift", which Philip Van Doren Stern wrote in 1939 and published privately in 1945. It's now considered one of the most popular films in American cinema, and due to numerous television showings in the 1980s, has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This is my first real Supernatural Fic. Please be kind.

Many thanks to WhyteWytch for the Beta.

Namaste,

Sunny

 **Supernatural**

 **The Pizza Man Cometh**

 **Chapter 2**

When Crowley had stabbed her vessel with the angel blade and she'd been expelled, Meg had expected to find herself in purgatory for eternity. But that hadn't happened. Instead, she'd entered a sort of earthbound limbo where her spirit clung to trees, flowers, even the occasional cat or dog. Moving from place to place was relatively simple, yet she tended to stay near Sioux Falls, more or less because she knew the sheriff was a friend of the Winchesters. And if they came around, Castiel would likely be with them. She wouldn't be able to communicate with him, but seeing him, knowing that he'd escaped from Crowley and his cohorts would do her good.

Sometimes, just for fun, she would show herself to a dog to make him bark in the middle of the night, more to annoy the owners when she'd seen them doing something she found reprehensible. With the cats, she would get into their heads so they would run around as if they were mad.

Once, when Meg was really feeling frisky, she went to the zoo and got all the animals riled up. Another time, she got inside the head of a guy planning on killing his estranged wife so he could have sole custody of their children. As her good deed for the day, she forced him into a psychotic break. The cops came and took him in for a psyche eval. Every few days, she'd go back and do it again, just to keep him locked up. After a couple of weeks of that, his doctors decided he needed to stay a while.

A girl had to make her own fun when she couldn't touch or feel or speak.

Every so often, when conditions were just right, Meg could hear Castiel's voice whispering in her ear, as if he were close by. The first few times, she'd gone looking for him without success. Sometimes it even seemed as if he were calling out to her. But that was stoopy, as the kids said these days.

Meg floated above the park trying to decide where to spend the rest of her day. She had looked for another meatsuit, but each time she entered the person's body she could only remain for a few minutes before being expelled. Certainly not long enough to contact her unicorn. And it was likely the reason she couldn't remain was because the meatsuit, the _person_ , hadn't agreed to let her in while it was still occupied.

Choosing a sleeping corgi, she settled over its back and let her mind rest. A short time later, she began hearing Castiel's voice again, louder this time, and he was calling her.

 _*Meg? Meg, can you hear me?*_

Reining in her excitement in case it was her imagination again, she responded, _Yes, Clarence, I'm here._

* _Where are you?_ *

 _South Dakota. Keeping an eye on Sheriff Mills and her daughter._ She sensed his surprise. _Everyone needs a hobby. This was one of mine._

* _Are you able come to the Rowdy Six Motel in Quincy, Massachusetts?_ *

 _Why would I haul my non-corporeal self all the way to the east coast?_

* _I don't want to get your hopes up…_ *

 _I'm gonna need more than "please come to Boston", Clarence._

* _There may be a way for you to once again inhabit a human body._ *

 _Been there, tried that, could teach the class. It doesn't stick._

* _The mortals have a saying: If at first you don't succeed…_ Still, Meg hesitated. _Meg, please. I want to help you. Don't make me beg._ *

Grinning to herself, Meg considered how Castiel had changed since her vessel had been punctured by Crowley. If she could take human form again, she could exact her revenge on the king of Hell for the torture and most especially for killing her. Letting a smirk enter her voice, she commented, _We'll talk about begging once I'm in my new meatsuit. It may take a few days to get there._

Through their link, she heard a sigh of relief. * _Room seven. We'll be waiting._ *

 _We? You're with Moose and Squirrel?_ This time, she sensed amusement from Castiel.

* _I am. So you'll come?_ *

 _Anything for my unicorn. See you soon._

Their connection ended as suddenly as it had begun, and for a moment, Meg wondered if she'd imagined it all. Even if she had, it couldn't hurt to check it out. She could always come back to Sioux Falls if that turned out to be the case.

Meg floated away from the sleeping dog, spread herself wide and let the wind carry her eastward.

 **Several Days Later**

Sitting cross legged on the floor, Cas cleared his mind, searching for Meg. She was close. And there was something else. This form of communication was cumbersome. If she could inhabit a body for just a few minutes, he would be able to speak to her face to face, to convince her that his plan would work.

 _Knock, knock._

Cas sighed with relief. * _You made it._ *

 _There was turbulence over the Chicago airport, and I stopped at the Allegheny National Forest to help the park rangers locate a couple of lost hikers. But I'm here. So what's this brainstorm of yours?_

* _Communication will be easier with you in a… meatsuit._ *

He felt her annoyance through their link. _Told you. It doesn't work._

* _I have a vessel willing to host you for a short time._ *

 _Yeah? What poor, deluded soul did you convince to take on a demon?_

Opening his eyes, Cas turned to Dean pacing nervously in a corner. "She's here. Speak to her, Dean."

Sam was standing by the bathroom door, arms crossed, and an expression of worried amusement on his face. "This is going to be fun."

Dean swung around, pointing a finger in Sam's face. "Just… shut up, Sam."

"That's all you got? Shut up?"

"Dean?" Cas got to his feet and laid a hand on his shoulder.

The elder Winchester huffed and looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, Meg. Good to, uh, see you again, sort of. Uh, yeah. Cas said the reason you couldn't stay in a vessel was 'cause you didn't have permission. Well, you got it." He raised a finger in warning. "As long as you know it's temporary. Just long enough for you and Cas to have a quick pow-wow, and out again. And no funny business while you're in there or I _swear_ we are _done_."

Closing his eyes, Cas listened to Meg's reply. With her this close, hearing her speak was much easier. "She understands, and promises there will be no… funny business."

"So what do I do? Stand? Sit? Dance around the roo…"

Dean's eyes went wide and his back stiffened as a dark, barely discernible mist entered his mouth and nose, making him gasp. His head hung down for a moment then slowly came up until he was looking right at Cas.

"Meg?" the angel asked tentatively.

The demon's signature smirk lit up Dean's face. "The one and only."

~~O~~

Sam watched as Dean's entire demeanor changed. A half-smile turned up one side of his mouth as he swaggered across the room to stand in front of Cas with his hands on his hips. Meg looked over at Sam, raising her chin in greeting. "How you doin', Moose?"

"Same as always, Meg."

"That bad, huh? You look like warmed over pot roast." Without waiting for a comeback, she faced Cas again. "Squirrel's already getting twitchy. What say we get this over with?"

Cas graced Meg with a besotted smile. "This may take a while."

Meg snorted in Dean's voice, giving Sam a strange feeling in his stomach. What if she decided to stay in Dean's body? They'd have to expel her, and that would upset Cas, and Dean would be pissed.

"I haven't had anything to eat or drink in a long time, Clarence. What say we get a beer and a burger while we talk?"

Sam stepped forward. "Only if Dean agrees." That smile Sam associated with the former demon was now on his brother's face.

"And how would you know if I was lying?"

"Because we have a code word. Which we'll have to change after this."

Dean's eyes closed, he took a deep breath, and opened them again. Sam couldn't say _how_ he knew that he was looking at his brother. He just knew.

"It's me Sammy. Poughkeepsie." He looked over at Cas, shoving his hands in his pockets. "And I could go for a burger, but I don't want one of them fancy, frou-frou beers. The real thing or nothing." Again, Sam couldn't say how he knew Meg had taken over. "Whatever you say, Squirrel." To Cas she said, "Is this a private meet-and-greet, or will Moose be joining us?"

"Whatever we say, Dean will be privy to, and he will most certainly tell Sam."

Sam opened the door, holding out Dean's jacket as Meg passed. "Then let's go. And Meg?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop calling me Moose."

"It's just so much fun watching the skin around your eyes squinch up every time I say it. But you're the boss… Sam." Meg took the jacket and shrugged into it as the three of them walked across the street to the Sweet Hereafter Bar and Grill. As they reached the entrance, Meg looked Cas up and down. He was dressed in blue jeans, a plaid shirt open over a t-shirt, sneakers, and had a watch on his right wrist. "Love the new threads, Clarence. Was getting tired of the coat and tie."

"Thank you. Sam and Dean assisted with this… make-over."

The soon-to-be ex-demon snorted. "That explains the plaid." She gave him a sexy grin as she tugged on his sleeve. "Love the color. Really brings out the blue in your eyes, Clarence."

~~O~~

Meg guzzled the last of the beer, wiped her mouth and set the napkin aside. The server came to bring fresh beers and take the empty plates. "You're serious, Cas? For me to be footloose and fancy free again, I have to become an _angel_?"

"Yes. You'll have to pass the committee's testing phase, but I feel certain you will be approved."

She looked over at Sam to find him watching her, assessing her state of mind, her thoughts. Hell, he could be working on the incantation that would eject her from his brother's body if she didn't vacate the premises soon for all she could tell. "Will you be with me while it's going on, Clarence?"

"I'm not permitted to attend the testing. However, I will stay close. There's a sort of waiting room."

"And if I get the all-clear, I become an apprentice angel."

Castiel's eyes met hers. "Yes. Afterward, you'll be assigned a mentor, usually the angel who recommended you."

Propping her chin in her hand, and elbow on the table, she let her eyes roam over his features, and smiled. "What does this committee think about…" she laid her hand over his on the table and leaned in close, their noses almost touching, "…fraternization among the troops?"

Inside, Meg felt Dean's annoyance as he took over his body, snatching his hand back, and looking around as if he'd done something wrong. "Whoa! What'd I tell you about funny stuff, Meg?"

She rolled her eyes at Dean. "Relax. I wasn't gonna get down and dirty with him."

"Yeah, well, I'm watching you."

Feeling like she was being watched from the outside as well as the inside, Meg followed the trail back to Sam. "Something wrong, _Sam_?"

"It's freaky listening to Dean talk to himself out loud in two different voices." He glanced at Castiel and back to her. "What's the verdict, Meg? In or out?"

She crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side as she considered her answer. Throwing her hands up in the air, she grinned. "Couldn't hurt to try. How do we do this?"

The last question was aimed at Castiel.

"After you've left Dean's body, I'll transport you to heaven. Once you're approved, you will have one week to locate a suitable vessel."

"And in the mean time? Dean won't like having a house guest for that long. Says house guests are like fish. Both start to stink after three days."

The server came to the table, eyeing the three with suspicion. Sam smiled and passed over the payment along with a generous tip. She smiled as she walked away, shoving the bills into her cleavage.

Castiel waiting until they were outside to respond. "Dean will only be needed as your host if it takes longer than seven days. There are conditions on the type of vessel you're permitted to inhabit. It must be empty, and the person should have no family who would see the reanimation of the body as a miracle, thinking their loved one is back from the dead."

"Understood, Clarence. I'll give you final approval, should I pass muster with the Angel Squad."

Sam unlocked the motel room door and ushered everyone inside, checking that the door and curtains were fully closed.

Touching her on the arm, Castiel turned her toward him. "Ready?"

For a moment, Meg thought about backing out. But what the hell? It couldn't hurt to try. If she was booted out, she'd be no worse off now than she was yesterday. But before they made the trip upstairs, there was one thing she had to do. Grabbing the lapels of Castiel's shirt, she pushed him up against the wall. "Just in case."

Then, she kissed him.

 **TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This is my first real Supernatural Fic. Please be kind.

Many thanks to WhyteWytch for the Beta.

Namaste,

Sunny

 **Supernatural**

 **The Pizza Man Cometh**

 **Chapter 3**

Before Sam could utter a protest, Cas vanished leaving Dean holding onto air. He looked down at his hands and stepped back.

"Sonofa*****!" Dean ran into the bathroom, turned on the faucet and stuck his mouth underneath to catch the water, letting it fill up then spitting it out over and over. Making sounds of disgust, he pulled out his toothbrush, squirted a wad of toothpaste on the bristles and shoved it in his mouth, brushing vigorously, including his tongue.

Sam leaned in the doorway watching, just barely able to keep from laughing.

Dean looked at him with the brush clamped in his teeth and toothpaste foam dripping into the sink. "Wha'?"

"You kissed Cas, Dean." Endeavoring to look serious, Sam drew his eyebrows together. "So tell me, what was it like kissing an angel?"

His brother spit out the toothpaste, rinsed and squirted more on the brush. "It wasn't _me_ , dammit! It was that, that _demon_." He started brushing again, talking around the brush. "She'd better find a body PDQ 'cause she ain't gettin' back in mine anytime soon."

When he finished with the second brushing, Dean rinsed then gargled with the free mouthwash provided by the motel. He wiped his face and hands before joining Sam in the bedroom. "So what do we do? Wait here for Cas or move onto the next job?"

Sam shrugged. "We can't stay." He opened the laptop, bringing it out of power saver mode. "Union, Connecticut. In the past month, three bodies were found in the Bigelow Hollow State Park. They were dried and withered husks, almost mummified. The autopsy reports say the victims had been dead for less than twelve hours."

"What do we know that can do that?"

"The usual suspects, plus a new player. There are a number of older Chinese living in the area, and they're calling it a _jiangshi_ , evil spirits that attack people and drain their life energy. Since this is the first we're hearing of it, I think it's safe to assume it had been contained until recently. Still looking into that part."

Dean shoved clothes into his duffle bag, zipped it and headed for the door. "Great. More space vampires. Why can't it be regular vampires? Cut off their heads, and home in time for the blue plate special at Biggerson's."

Sam closed down the laptop, shoved it into his backpack, added his clothes and personal items, and together they left the room. Dean drove to the office, and went inside to check out. Within minutes, they were on I-90 headed west. Sam open the laptop to do more research, humming as he worked.

"Cut it out, Sam."

Feigning innocence, Sam remarked, "Not doing anything."

"You're humming. Stop."

Grinning, Sam continued to hum, and when his brother was good an annoyed, he started singing, changing one word in the lyrics.

 _You've got to kiss an angel good mornin'  
And let him know you think about him when you're gone  
Kiss an angel good mornin', and love him like a devil when you get back home.  
_

~~O~~

Dean did his best to ignore Sam poking fun at something he had no control over, but that just fueled the fire. He bit out, "Bitch."

Sam responded with the usual, "Jerk."

Eventually, Sam's attention was diverted by his research for their next job, and the humming stopped.

His left wrist resting on the steering wheel, Dean turned on the radio, tuning it to a classic rock station. They'd gone about thirty miles when there was a thump in the back seat. Dean glanced in the rear view mirror, and Cas's pleased expression peered back.

"So? What happened? Is Meg gettin' the super deluxe celestial make-over?"

Their friend smiled. "She's received tentative approval from the committee, and is out searching for a vessel as we speak. I came to give you the good news."

Sam turned in his seat to slap the angel on the shoulder with the back of his hand. "Congratulations, Cas. Bring her around, we'll take her to dinner to celebrate."

"We wanna see the wings, too." Dean caught Cas's eye in the mirror. "Hey! We're headed to Connecticut. You and Meg wanna do this job with us? Space vampires. Loads of fun to be had by all. Well, once we figure out how to kill 'em."

"As much fun as that sounds, Meg asked that I assist her in locating a vessel."

"Why does she need _your_ help?" Cas appeared embarrassed at the question. Or was it the answer? Dean couldn't tell.

"She, uh, wants my approval before she takes possession."

Sam chuckled and Dean outright laughed. "You're taking your girlfriend shopping. When she asks you to hold her purse, you'll look like a dork, but own it. Do it with confidence."

Confused, the angel confessed, "I do not believe she carries a purse."

"Oh and one word of warning, Cas," Sam interjected. "If she says, 'does this meatsuit make me look fat?' it's a trick question. The answer is always no."

Cas looked from one Winchester brother to the other. "I will keep that in mind."

The next second, he was gone.

 **New York City**

Standing outside the hospital ICU, Cas waited for Meg to make a decision. She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Don't like the hair. Too much red, too curly, too short."

"We've been to _four_ hospital ICUs, Meg, and there's been something wrong with each vessel you've looked at."

Meg passed into the next room and back out again. "I need just the right one because I'll be wearing it for eternity."

The doctors and nurses hustled up and down the halls, not paying any attention to the pair standing at the window because they were invisible. Even if they'd been able to see Cas, it would look like he was talking to himself. Meg would appear as a trick of the light, something you see out of the corner of your eye that vanishes when you turn to look at it.

"Not for eternity. Our vessels are mortal. They will eventually wear out."

"Why aren't you more interested, Clarence? You're the one who'll be looking at it for however long it lasts."

In his mind, Cas saw Meg standing in front of him, hands on her hips, all her weight on one foot, and giving him that smile, the one he fell for each time he saw it. He wanted to take her hand, but couldn't. Not yet. "Do you trust me?"

He felt her smirk, and heard it in her voice. "That's a loaded question, Angel Boy."

"Then come with me."

In a flash, the pair were in another hospital in a different part of the country. Cas nodded, and Meg shimmered through the glass to get a closer look at the body on the bed. She turned to him and smiled. "I'll take it."

Cas held up a hand. "Not yet. The soul collector is due to arrive any moment."

Soon, an angel entered the room and held out her hand. The soul of the woman on the bed separated from her body, and the two faded out as they passed through the wall. Immediately, the monitor's alarms went off. The staff sprinted down the hall into the room, and began to work on the woman. At Cas's urging, Meg joined with the empty vessel, startling the staff when she started choking as life returned to the body. The doctors removed the breathing tube, calling out orders for tests.

 **Union, Connecticut**

 **Motel 9**

 **A Few Days Later**

Dean flipped through the meager channel offerings while Sam tapped diligently at the computer. Both men reached for their weapons when two people suddenly appeared in the room with them.

Sighing in relief, Dean put the safety on his weapon and tucked it out of sight. "Call first next time. We coulda shot you."

"Our vessels would not have been harmed, Dean."

"Yeah, yeah." He stared curiously at the woman. "Seriously? All those bodies out there, Meg, and you go with the same model you had before?"

The woman swaggered over to Dean, hands on her hips. "When you find something that works, Squirrel, you stick with it." She turned in a circle. "How do you like the new and improved ex-demon-turned-apprentice-angel?"

The body Meg had chosen looked like the one she'd previously inhabited with a few exceptions. She was the same height, only coming up to Sam's collar bone. The dark hair was much longer, though the eyes were still brown, and had a slightly rounder figure.

Sam came to stand next to Dean with his arms crossed, towering over the new Meg just as he had the old one. "You didn't come here for our approval, Meg."

She stepped back to Cas's side, weaving their fingers together. "You're right. I came to show off the new me. So sue me. I enjoy being a girl again. And now that it's over, my unicorn and I will say good night."

"Where ya headed?" Dean asked.

This time, Cas answered, and for one of the few time Dean could recall, the angel smirked as he looked down at Meg. "We're ordering pizza."

Dean's mouth dropped open, and then, Cas and Meg were gone.

 **The End**

 _Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'_ is a song written by Ben Peters, and recorded by American country music artist Charley Pride, released in October 1971.


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